IzAga Chapter 23

1. Lapho uhlezi ekudleni nombusi, qonda nokuqonda ophambi kwakho,

2. ubeke umese emphinjeni wakho, uma ungumuntu wephango.

3. Unganxaneli izilovela zakhe, lokhu zingukudla okukhohlisayo.

4. Ungakhandlekeli ukuceba; kuyeke ngokuqonda kwakho.

5. Amehlo akho ayandizela kulokho, kepha akusekho, ngokuba kuyazenzela impela amaphiko njengokhozi olundizela ezulwini.

6. Ungadli ukudla koneso elibi, ungafisi izilovela zakhe,

7. ngokuba unjengozicabangelayo; uthi kuwe: “Yidla uphuze,” kepha inhliziyo yakhe ayikho kuwe.

8. Umthamo owudlileyo uyakuwuhlanza, uchithe amazwi akho amnandi.

9. Ungakhulumi ezindlebeni zesiwula, ngokuba siyakudelela ukuhlakanipha kwamazwi akho.

10. Ungasusi isikhonkwane esidala, ungangeni emasimini ezintandane,

11. ngokuba umhlengi wazo unamandla; uyakumela indaba yazo kuwe.

12. Beka inhliziyo yakho ekulayweni, nezindlebe zakho emazwini okwazi.

13. Ungayeki ukumlaya umntwana, ngokuba uma umshaya ngoswazi akayikufa.

14. Uyakumshaya ngoswazi, wophule umphefumulo wakhe endaweni yabafileyo.

15. Ndodana yami, uma inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami iyakuthokoza, yebo, eyami.

16. Izinso zami ziyakujabula, lapho izindebe zakho zikhuluma okulungileyo.

17. Inhliziyo yakho mayingabi namhawu ngezoni, kepha mawube sekumesabeni uJehova usuku lonke.

18. Ngokuba impela umvuzo ukhona, nethemba lakho aliyikunqunywa.

19. Yizwa wena ndodana yami, uhlakaniphe, uhole inhliziyo yakho ngendlela.

20. Ungabi phakathi kwezinseli zewayini nabayiziminzi zenyama.

21. Ngokuba inseli noyisiminzi bayakuba mpofu; ukozela kuyakwembathisa umuntu amanikiniki.

22. Lalela uyihlo owakuzalayo, ungamdeleli unyoko lapho esemdala.

23. Thenga iqiniso, ungathengisi ngalo, nokuhlakanipha, nokulaywa, nokuqonda.

24. Uyise wolungileyo uyakwethaba nokwethaba, nozala ohlakaniphileyo uyathokoza ngaye.

25. Mabathokoze uyihlo nonyoko, ethabe owakubelethayo.

26. Ndodana yami, ngiphe inhliziyo yakho, amehlo akho enamele izindlela zami.

27. Ngokuba isifebe singumgodi ojulileyo, nowesifazane ondindayo ungumhholo onyinyeneyo.

28. Uqamekela njengomphangi; uyandisa abambuluzayo phakathi kwabantu.

29. Ngubani othi: “Maye!” Ngubani othi: “Wo!” Ngubani oxabanayo? Ngubani okhalayo, ngubani onezilonda ngeze, na? Ngubani onamehlo aklwelayo na?

30. Yibo abalibala ngasewayinini, abaya ukunambitha iwayini elixutshanisiweyo.

31. Ungalibuki iwayini ukuthi libomvu, nokuthi liyacwebezela endebeni, ukuba lehle kalula.

32. Ngasekugcineni liyaluma njengenyoka, lihlabe njengebululu.

33. Amehlo akho ayakubona imihlola, inhliziyo yakho ikhulume okuphambeneyo.

34. Uyakuba njengolele ekujuleni kolwandle nohlezi esihlokweni sensika yomkhumbi.

35. Uyakuthi: “Bangishayile, angilimalanga; bangigalele, angikwazanga. Lapho ngivuka, ngiyakubuye ngilifune.”